US6146161A - Lever type connector - Google Patents

Lever type connector Download PDF

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Publication number
US6146161A
US6146161A US09/115,665 US11566598A US6146161A US 6146161 A US6146161 A US 6146161A US 11566598 A US11566598 A US 11566598A US 6146161 A US6146161 A US 6146161A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
cam
cam pins
lever
connector according
housing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US09/115,665
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English (en)
Inventor
Hiroki Osawa
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
Original Assignee
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
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Application filed by Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd filed Critical Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
Assigned to SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD. reassignment SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: OSAWA, HIROKI
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
    • H01R13/629—Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances
    • H01R13/62933—Comprising exclusively pivoting lever
    • H01R13/62938—Pivoting lever comprising own camming means
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/44—Means for preventing access to live contacts
    • H01R13/447—Shutter or cover plate
    • H01R13/453—Shutter or cover plate opened by engagement of counterpart
    • H01R13/4538—Covers sliding or withdrawing in the direction of engagement
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
    • H01R13/629—Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances
    • H01R13/62933—Comprising exclusively pivoting lever
    • H01R13/62955—Pivoting lever comprising supplementary/additional locking means

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a lever-type electrical connector.
  • multiple-terminal connectors In order to carry out smooth coupling of electrical connectors, which may have a high fitting resistance due to the large number of terminals, multiple-terminal connectors utilise a cam operation driven by movement of a lever.
  • a moving plate In order to support the tabs of male terminal fittings and to temporarily fix their position, a moving plate has been provided on a male connector housing, which plate moves from an advance to a retracted position with the tabs passing through it. This type of connector is described in the Laid-Open Japanese patent publication 5-74517.
  • FIGS. 7 to 9 of this specification An example of this type of connector is shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 of this specification.
  • a connector is provided with a cam pin 2 on the female connector housing 1, a cam pin 4 also being provided on a moving plate 3.
  • These cam pins 2 and 4 fit with cam grooves 6 and 7 of a lever 5.
  • the cam pins 2 and 4 are respectively engaged with the cam grooves 6 and 7 and the female connector housing 1 is drawn towards the male connector housing 8 with the moving plate 3.
  • the projecting tabs are supported whilst they are exposed.
  • the present invention has been developed after taking the above problem into consideration, and aims to present a miniaturised lever which moves the moving plate and the female connector housing in accompaniment with the cam operation thereof.
  • a lever type electrical connector comprising a first housing having a plurality of electrical terminals protruding therefrom, a plate having a plurality of apertures through which individual terminals pass, said plate being movable from an advanced position adjacent the ends of said terminals to a retracted position closer to the root of said terminals, and a lever pivotable about an axis of said first housing and defining a cam surface
  • said connector further comprising a second housing having a plurality of electrical terminals engageable with the terminals of said first connector, wherein said plate and second housing have followers engageable by said cam surface such that pivoting of said lever draws said plate and second housing closer to said axis thereby drawing said housings together, and moving said plate from the advanced to the retracted position, characterised in that said followers are engageable by a common cam surface.
  • Such a construction avoids the need for separate cam tracks for the followers of the plate and mating connector. Accordingly the lever can be miniaturised, thus giving a saving of material, the possibility of a more rigid lever, an assurance that both followers are engaged by the cam track, and an assurance that the spatial relationship between the followers is maintained.
  • the followers abut one another, and may rest within one another or interlock.
  • one of the followers is concave and the other follower fits within the concavity to define a substantially solid unitary follower.
  • This unitary follower preferably has an arcuate surface, thus facilitating smooth engagement with the cam surface.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagonal view of a male connector housing and a moving plate of a first embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a diagonal view of a male connector housing and a female connector housing prior to being fitted together;
  • FIG. 3 is a side view of the male and female connector housings during the fitting operation
  • FIG. 4 is a side view of the male and female connector housing after the fitting operation has been completed.
  • FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged side view of cam pins in a unified state.
  • FIG. 6 is a side view comparing the size of a lever of the embodiment with the lever of a prior art connector
  • FIG. 7 is a diagonal view of a male connector housing and a moving plate of a prior art connector
  • FIG. 8 is a side view showing the male and female connector housings of the prior art connector during the fitting operation
  • FIG. 9 is a side view showing the male and female connector housings of the prior art connector.
  • a lever-type connector according to the present invention is provided with a male connector housing 10, a female connector housing 20, a lever 30, and a moving plate 40.
  • the male connector housing 10 has a hood 11 (on the upper face of the male connector housing 10 in the figures), a plurality of tabs of male terminal fittings (not shown) protruding upwards into the interior of the hood 11. The interior of this hood 11 fits with the female connector housing 20.
  • the interior of the hood 11 has the moving plate 40 provided therein so that it can move between an upper, tab supporting position and a lower, inactive position.
  • the moving plate 40 has a plurality of position determining holes 41.
  • the moving plate 40 is temporarily stopped in the tab supporting position by a stopping means (not shown) and the position determining holes 41 engage with the anterior ends of the tabs. This prevents the bending, change of shape, etc. of the tabs.
  • the moving plate 40 moves in a downwards direction to the inner end of the hood 11), and when the connector housings 10 and 20 have been fitted together, the moving plate 40 reaches the inactive position.
  • cam pins 43 extend outwards from the upper edge of each of these protruding members 42.
  • Recesses 44 are located in the upper end of these cam pins 43 and are open at the upper side and at the interior and exterior ends.
  • Cam pins 21 (to be explained later) of the female connector housing 20 fit with these recesses 44.
  • the cam pins 43 can be moved along guiding grooves 12 provided on the hood 11, protruding ends of the cam pins 43 (the exterior edge) extending to the exterior.
  • the cam pins 43 When the moving plate 40 is in the tab supporting position, the cam pins 43 are positioned in the upper part of the guide grooves 12, and when the moving plate 40 is in the inactive position, the cam pins 43 are positioned in the inner part of the guide grooves 12. Tapered faces 12A are provided on the open edges of the guide grooves 12 to facilitate the insertion therein of the cam pins 43 when the moving plate 40 is attached to the hood 11.
  • Supporting axles 13 are located on the exterior face of the hood 11 slightly below the lower edge of the guide grooves 12, axles 13 supporting the lever 30.
  • a pair of arm members 32 protrude from the ends of operating members 31 of the lever 30.
  • axle receiving holes 33 which fit with the axles 13, and spiral shaped cam grooves 34 which have the axle receiving holes 33 as their centre.
  • These hole 33 and cam grooves 34 pass through the arm members 32 from their interior to their exterior faces.
  • One end of each cam groove 34 is located at a distance father from the hole 33 and opens out to the peripheral edge of the arm member 32 to form a mouth 34A.
  • the mouths 34A are provided with linking members 34B, which are thinner than the arm member 32, and serve to add strength.
  • the other end of each cam groove 34 is closer to the hole 33.
  • the lever 30 can be rotated about the axle receiving hole 33 between a commencing fitting position (see FIGS. 2 and 3), and a completed fitting position (see FIG. 4).
  • commenceing position the mouth 34A of the cam groove 34 coincides with the upper edge of the guide groove 12.
  • completed position the opposing, inner edge of the cam groove 34 coincides with the lower edge of the guide groove 12.
  • the female connector housing 20 has a plurality of female terminal fittings (not shown) which fit together with the tabs of the male terminal fittings, and the lower edge of the female connector housing 20 fits together with the hood 11 of the male connector housing 10.
  • cam pins 21 On both side faces of the female connector housing 20 there are cam pins 21 which fit tightly into the respective recesses 44.
  • the cam pins 43 of the moving plate 40 are approximately cylindrical
  • the cam pins 21 of the female connector housing 20 are of an approximately square section.
  • the outer peripheral faces 21A on the upper edges of the cam pins 21 are arc-shaped which are concentric with and have the same radius as the cam pins 43 of the moving plate 40. As a result, when the cam pins 21 and 43 are in a fitted state, the outer peripheral faces 21A and 43A form a smooth arc (FIG. 5).
  • the lever 30 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.
  • the moving plate 40 and the female connector housing 20 are drawn as a single body into the interior of the hood 11.
  • cam face 34C of the cam groove 34 makes contact from a position close to the top thereof and, as a result, the pushing force of the lever 30 is exerted primarily on the outer peripheral faces 21A of the cam pin 21 of the female connector housing 20.
  • the cam face 34C which faces the cam pins 21 and 43 gradually moves diagonally in a corresponding direction and the cam face 34C makes contact with the outer peripheral faces 21A and 43A of the cam pin 21 and of the cam pin 43.
  • the cam face 43C makes contact with only the outer peripheral face 43A.
  • the cam pins 21 and 43 are reliably fitted together by means of the recesses 44. Accordingly, the operation of the cam is carried out in a stable manner, and the female connector housing 20 and the moving plate 40 move as a single body.
  • the cam pins 21 and 43 fit with the guide groove 12 and therefore, even though the direction of pushing from the cam face 34C is diagonal relative to the direction of movement of the cam pins 21 and 43, the cam pins 21 and 43 do not move laterally and further stabilisation of the operation of the cam is achieved.
  • the cam pins 21 and 43 of the female connector housing 20 and the moving plate 40 are fitted together to form a unified body and then fitted with the cam groove 34.
  • the dimension S of the lever 30 is smaller.
  • cam pins 21 of the female connector housing 20 enters into and fit with the recesses 44, and the cam pins 21 and 43 are fitted together, compared to the case where two flat faces are merely fitted together, the fitted state of the cam pins 21 and 43 can be maintained more reliably.
  • cam pins 43 of the moving plate 40 have recesses 44 which are fitted together with cam pins 21 of the female connector housing 20.
  • cam pins of the female connector housing be provided with recesses and that cam pins of the moving plate fit with these.
  • recesses 44 of the cam pins 43 are made to fit with corresponding cam pins 21, and both cam pins are unified.
  • the cam pins need not be unified by means of recesses. They may equally be unified by means of two flat faces which simply meet, or by means of two stepped members, etc.
  • the outer peripheral faces 43A and 21A of the cam pins 43 and 21 of the moving plate 40 and the female connector housing join to form a smooth arc.
  • they may equally well join to form an oval shape or other curved shape other than a true circle.

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  • Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
US09/115,665 1997-07-30 1998-07-14 Lever type connector Expired - Lifetime US6146161A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP20489697A JP3244028B2 (ja) 1997-07-30 1997-07-30 レバー式コネクタ
JP9-204896 1997-07-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US6146161A true US6146161A (en) 2000-11-14

Family

ID=16498201

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US09/115,665 Expired - Lifetime US6146161A (en) 1997-07-30 1998-07-14 Lever type connector

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US6146161A (de)
EP (1) EP0895316B1 (de)
JP (1) JP3244028B2 (de)
CN (1) CN1099735C (de)
DE (1) DE69800463T2 (de)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6254414B1 (en) * 1999-08-26 2001-07-03 Yazaki Corporation Coupling structure of structures
US6623285B2 (en) * 2001-05-07 2003-09-23 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Lever-type connector with connection testing features
US6648658B2 (en) * 2001-03-28 2003-11-18 Yazaki Corporation Lever fitting type connector
US6666698B2 (en) * 2000-08-17 2003-12-23 Tyco Electronics Corporation Arc limiting electrical connector assembly
US20080248664A1 (en) * 2007-04-09 2008-10-09 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Lever-type connector and connector assembly
US7559779B1 (en) 2008-05-14 2009-07-14 Cinch Connectors, Inc. Electrical connector
US20130095683A1 (en) * 2010-07-07 2013-04-18 Yazaki Corporation Low insertion force connector unit with safety circuit unit
US9455521B2 (en) * 2014-12-03 2016-09-27 Hyundai Motor Company Lever type connector
US20170310046A1 (en) * 2016-04-26 2017-10-26 Amphenol Air Lb Lever-type connector and printed circuit board equipped with such connectors
US10644445B2 (en) * 2018-06-06 2020-05-05 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Lever-type connector

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3938669B2 (ja) 2001-05-31 2007-06-27 矢崎総業株式会社 レバー式コネクタ
JP3804524B2 (ja) * 2001-12-07 2006-08-02 住友電装株式会社 コネクタ
JP3966513B2 (ja) * 2003-04-24 2007-08-29 住友電装株式会社 コネクタ
JP4622930B2 (ja) 2006-04-20 2011-02-02 住友電装株式会社 レバー式コネクタ
WO2007146130A2 (en) * 2006-06-08 2007-12-21 Molex Incorporated Lever type electrical connector
JP5012086B2 (ja) * 2007-02-26 2012-08-29 住友電装株式会社 コネクタ
JP2013246897A (ja) * 2012-05-23 2013-12-09 Yazaki Corp レバー式コネクタ
JP2018107010A (ja) * 2016-12-27 2018-07-05 第一精工株式会社 レバー式コネクタ
CN114447702A (zh) * 2022-01-06 2022-05-06 中航光电科技股份有限公司 连接器组件和插头插座锁紧连接结构

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0532366A2 (de) * 1991-09-13 1993-03-17 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Steckverbinderanordnung

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0532366A2 (de) * 1991-09-13 1993-03-17 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Steckverbinderanordnung
JPH0574517A (ja) * 1991-09-13 1993-03-26 Sumitomo Wiring Syst Ltd コネクタ
US5269696A (en) * 1991-09-13 1993-12-14 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Connector assembly

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6254414B1 (en) * 1999-08-26 2001-07-03 Yazaki Corporation Coupling structure of structures
US6666698B2 (en) * 2000-08-17 2003-12-23 Tyco Electronics Corporation Arc limiting electrical connector assembly
US6648658B2 (en) * 2001-03-28 2003-11-18 Yazaki Corporation Lever fitting type connector
US6623285B2 (en) * 2001-05-07 2003-09-23 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Lever-type connector with connection testing features
US20080248664A1 (en) * 2007-04-09 2008-10-09 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Lever-type connector and connector assembly
US7513784B2 (en) 2007-04-09 2009-04-07 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Lever-type connector and connector assembly
US7559779B1 (en) 2008-05-14 2009-07-14 Cinch Connectors, Inc. Electrical connector
US20130095683A1 (en) * 2010-07-07 2013-04-18 Yazaki Corporation Low insertion force connector unit with safety circuit unit
US8696373B2 (en) * 2010-07-07 2014-04-15 Yazaki Corporation Low insertion force connector unit with safety circuit unit
US9455521B2 (en) * 2014-12-03 2016-09-27 Hyundai Motor Company Lever type connector
US20170310046A1 (en) * 2016-04-26 2017-10-26 Amphenol Air Lb Lever-type connector and printed circuit board equipped with such connectors
US10008807B2 (en) * 2016-04-26 2018-06-26 Amphenol Air Lb Lever-type connector and printed circuit board equipped with such connectors
US10644445B2 (en) * 2018-06-06 2020-05-05 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Lever-type connector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1206942A (zh) 1999-02-03
JP3244028B2 (ja) 2002-01-07
DE69800463D1 (de) 2001-02-08
EP0895316B1 (de) 2001-01-03
EP0895316A1 (de) 1999-02-03
DE69800463T2 (de) 2001-08-23
JPH1154204A (ja) 1999-02-26
CN1099735C (zh) 2003-01-22

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